Windshield wiper control device

Claim 2

A control system for operating an electric motor connected to drive windshield wiper blades, comprising manual switch means adapted to be operatively connected between said motor and a source of voltage and having an ON and an OFF condition, control Switch means for connecting said motor to said source of voltage to drive said blades through repeating wiping cycles when said manual switch means is in said ON condition and for disconnecting said motor from said voltage in response to a control input, a timing circuit for producing said control input to provide dwell periods during which said wiping cycles are interrupted, a single motor responsive switch connected to reactivate said timing circuit by directly reconnecting said circuit through said motor responsive switch to said voltage source during each cycle and disconnecting said circuit from said voltage source each time said blades are in a park position, said parking means connected to said motor responsive switch for supplying said voltage to said motor via said control switch means when said manual switch means is in said OFF condition to return said blades to said park position.

Claim 3

The control device of claim 1, wherein said control switch means has a terminal and includes means for connecting said motor to said terminal, said single motor responsive switch having a run terminal adapted to be connected to said source of voltage, a park terminal and a movable contact connected to said timing circuit and arranged to alternately engage said run and park terminals in response to said motor such that said timing circuit is recharged each time said movable contact engages said run terminal, and said parking means includes means to connect said movable contact to said control switch means terminal so that said motor is electrically connected to said voltage source to complete a wiping cycle when said motor is connected to said control switch means terminal and said run terminal is engaged by said movable contact.

Claim 4

The control device of claim 2, wherein said park terminal is grounded.

Claim 5

A control device for activating a windshield wiper motor for driving wiper blades through repeating wiping cycles comprising relay means having a relay coil, a pair of terminals and a contact electrically connected to said motor and movable from one terminal to the other by said relay coil for activating and de-activating said motor, an RC control circuit having a capacitive element operatively connected to energize said relay coil to provide dwell periods between wiping cycles in accordance with the discharge time of said capacitive element, a motor responsive switch having a run terminal, a grounded park terminal and a movable contact connected to said capacitive element and arranged to separately engage said run and park terminals in response to said motor, said run terminal being adapted to be connected to a source of voltage such that said capacitive element is charged through said motor responsive switch when said motor responsive contact engages said run terminal, and parking means to connect said motor responsive contact to one of said relay terminals so that when said relay contact engages said one relay terminal and said motor responsive contact engages said run terminal, said motor is electrically connected to said source of voltage to finish an incomplete wiping cycle.

Claim 6

A control device for activating a windshield wiper motor for driving wiper blades through repeating wiping cycles comprising relay means having a relay coil, a pair of terminals and a contact electrically connected to said motor and movable from one terminal to the other by said relay coil for activating and de-activating said motor, an RC control circuit having a capacitive element operatively connected to energize said relay coil to provide dwell periods between wiping cycles in accordance with the discharge time of said capacitive element, a motor responsive switch having a run terminal, a grounded park terminal and a movable contact connected to said capacitive element and arranged to separately engage said run and park terminals in response to said motor, said run terminal being adapted to be connected to a source of voltage such that said capacitive element is charged through said motor responsive switch when said motor responsive contact engages said run terminal, and parking means to connect said motor responsive contact to one of said relay terminals so that when said relay contact engages said one relay terminal and said motor responsive contact engages said run terminal, said motor is electrically connected to said source of voltage to finish an incomplete wiping cycle.

Claim 7

The control device of claim 4, wherein sid RC control circuit further includes a variable resistor for varying the length of said dwell periods.

Claim 8

The control device of claim 4, wherein said parking means includes a manual wiper control switch having an OFF terminal connected to said motor responsive contact, an ON terminal adapted to be connected to said source of voltage and a movable contact connected to said one relay terminal and arranged to selectively engage said control switch terminals, so that voltage is applied to said one relay terminal directly with the ON terminal engaged and via said motor responsive switch with the OFF terminal engaged.

Claim 9

The control device of claim 6, wherein said other relay terminal is grounded.